Artist's Statement

My artistic influences are many; the Old Masters, the impressionists, exciting contemporary artists such as Jamie Wyeth and Jeff Larson. I am interested in art as narrative and use the power of colour, light and form to tell the story.

Although I continue to experiment with portraiture and figurative art, most of my subjects are canine. It began four years ago when I rescued two small dogs. Grounded in years of pen/ink and graphite drawing, I experimented with oils and acrylics as the medium and Buddy --- my Coton du Tulear --- as the model.

We can learn much from dogs: focus, loyalty, innocence and honesty. Dogs have shining moments of brilliance and goofy moments of joyful play. Dogs live in the moment, a lesson for us all. They are both my subjects and my teachers.

All dog owners are guilty of anthropomorphizing their canine; ironically, they have so much more to teach us by just being themselves. They have been bred as companions to humans for thousands of years and have become masters at giving love and teaching us how to receive it in return. Dogs don't experience emotion as we understand it, yet a well rendered portrait of a dog will evoke emotion in the viewer, spark memories of intense connection, resonate joy. When these dear friends pass on as all friends inevitably do, a good portrait reminds us of their gifts and how much they enrich our lives.

Mandy Bing

Biography

Mandy Bing is a self-taught, late blooming artist, whose formal education is a degree in comparative religion and contemporary religious thought. During her career life in a large educational institution in Ottawa, she continued to explore her compulsion to draw and paint, until 2009 when the interest evolved into a real driving force. She moved to the Bay of Quinte area of Central Ontario to paint full time and develop her love of portraiture.

As a relative newcomer to the professional art world, her paintings have been included in numerous juried shows in the Northumberland and Hastings counties of Central Ontario, winning awards for Juror's Choice, People's Choice and Innovative Use of Colour. Much of her work is by commission, from clients seeking a portrait of their own pet or a painting to give to loved ones; she welcomes all inquiries. Working primarily from photos has allowed her to complete many paintings "In Memoriam".